Volunteers Help Hmong Community

Students and other volunteers from around the state gathered last week to construct buildings at the Hmong American Farmers Association site in Vermillion Township. Teen members of the federal YouthBuild program from across Minnesota and Students from City Academy and members of Carpenters Local Union 322 in St. Paul helped build a station to wash produce and 25 sheds for the nonprofit association and its 17 low-income farming families. The sheds can be used to store produce to help prevent thefts and as shelters from the summer heat and rain while Hmong farmers tend their crops. The neatly constructed sheds will be painted in the spring and director of the Hmong American Farmers Association, Pakou Hang says hopefully help to avoid conflicts with locals that Hmong farmers have faced in other areas of the state where residents have complained about dilapidated out buildings. The Hmong farmers have also held an open house each September with tours, a free lunch, childrens activities and a musical performance to aquaint Vermillion residents with the farm. Hang said the farmers in his group and the small family farmers in this part of Dakota County actually have a lot in common.